Jessica Smith breaks huge barrier on home track

With one flash of the official scoreboard, the crowd at Swangard Stadium unleashed a boisterous cheer and Jessica Smith’s life had changed forever.

Smith, an 800m runner from North Vancouver, B.C., had become just the fourth woman in Canadian history to break the two-minute barrier for the two lap race, winning the Harry Jerome meet in 1:59.86, Sunday in Burnaby, B.C.

After splitting 600m in just 1:29, Smith needed a strong kick over the final 200m to get under the Olympic “A” standard of 1:59.90. She joins Melissa Bishop as the only Canadians to achieve the mark this season. National record holder Diane Cummins and Charmaine Crooks are the only other Canadian women to break two minutes for 800m.

“I’m kind of like, beyond belief right now,” Smith said in an article on the IAAF website. “On the start line I was nervous, anxious, happy, relieved that it was finally here. For days I’ve been like, ‘oh it’s coming on Sunday, that’s where I’ll do it.’ And to finally break that barrier, it’s incredible.”

Also battling for the win, Bishop finished third in 2:00.45. Cummins, who has a best of 1:58.39, finished fifth in 2:01.11.

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Canada’s Melissa Bishop makes “A” standard

In the men’s 800m, Halifax’s Geoff Harris continued his streak of personal bests and Nova Scotia records, finishing fourth (top Canadian) in 1:46.29. It was his first Olympic “B” standard. He needs to run another race under 1:46.30 and finish top 3 at the Canadian Trials to become eligible for selection to London as a “Rising Star.” Andrew Ellerton, who achieved the “A” standard when he ran 1:45.04 last year, also needs two more “B” standards to make the team.

The catch is that if Ellerton makes it, Harris will have to run the “A” standard to be selected for the Olympics. The IAAF rules state that in events where a country is sending more than one athlete, all of them must have made the “A” standard.

The men’s 1500m, which featured Speed River’s Taylor Milne going after the Olympic “A” standard of 3:35.50, was rather disappointing for Canadian fans. Milne faded badly in the final lap after running most of the race in a good position near the front. Matt Lincoln was the top Canadian, finishing seventh in 3:39.32. Milne wound up 11th in 3:43.68.

Finally, another Canadian woman has made the “A” standard in the 100m hurdles. Heptathlete Jessica Zelinka won the race in 12.76 seconds, beating former world champion Perdita Felicien. There are now six Canadians who have the “A” standard in the event.

The Harry Jerome meet was the first stop on the National Track League circuit, which also includes meets in Victoria, Edmonton, Toronto, Moncton and Halifax.

The first three races — Vancouver’s Harry Jerome, the Victoria International and Edmonton’s Donovan Bailey Invitational — will be among the final opportunities for the athletes to make Olympic standards. The Trials are June 27 to 30 in Calgary.